In a known flat-bed knittng machine of this type (see Brochure DNVHG-F published by the present assignee in March, 1984), the spool table is embodied as a board and is mounted directly on the machine frame. Below the spool table and also secured to the machine frame is a power cable device, which substantially comprises a plurality of rollers on which a group of randomly guided cables is suspended and which are supported so that they roll in a guide rail secured to the machine frame. A perforated cover plate, serving as a protective device, is also secured in the vicinity of the rear long edge of the spool table. If the flat knitting machine is provided with a transparent protective cover on its front side, that is, on the operator side, then the elements of this cover are also secured directly to the machine frame or to the support frame for the needle bed apparatus.
The flat-bed knitting machine known from German Pat. No. DE-C1 32 43 315 is similar in this respect; here the spool table is movable in the direction of the depth of the machine. In this flat-bed knitting machine, a flap that can be pivoted out of the way is provided as the protective cover, the upper free end of which, when the flap is in the covering position, rests on a cover strip attached to the spool table whenever the spool table is in its front position. This cover strip serving as a rest is inoperative whenever the spool table is in a rear position.
In every case, considerable engineering and assembly expense is necessitated, to secure the various required devices to the machine frame. The spool table embodied as a board is very heavy and is costly in terms of its assembly, or in terms of the attachment of the individual spool holders. The spool table provided with the spool holders is inconvenient both if it is to be shipped and in terms of handling it during assembly.